Flying torpedo



Nov, 15, 1927. 1,648,904

7 c. KESSES FLYING TORPED 0 Filed June 25. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.15, 1927. 1,648,904

A c. KESSES FLYING TORPED 0 Filed June 23. 1926 3 Sheets-SheetZ Nov. 15,1927. 1,648,904

c. KEssEs FLYING TORPEDO Filed June 23. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 &/

maria/"791' Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHARLES KESSES, OF NEW YORK, 'N. Y.

FLYING TORPEDO.

Application filed .Tune 23, 1926. Serial No. 118,005.

The objects of my invention are:

First, to have a powerful engine of war, which can fly at a short noticeto any part of the country to protect the nation in the air, on the landand on or in the ,sea.

Second, to have means to destroy any size enemy engine of war from along distance, on its side where it cannot be protected for thispurpose.

Third, to have an aeroplane arranged ior carrying in its center a fewflying torpedoes one on top of the other for balancing the aeroplane bythe carrying of said torpedoes to a high altitude. V Fourth, to have atiming device arranged to explode an explosive at a predetermined timeand a second means to explode said explosive when it strikes.

Fifth, to have safety switches on the timing device for the safety ofthe operator.

Sixth, to have a controlling lever arranged for operating said torpedo,means are carried on said lever to start the different mechanicalmovements of the devices for the controlling and sending off of thetorpedo. First to have means on said lever to start the engine for thedriving of the propeller, second to connect the driving mechanism to theelectric switch device to start the timing device. Third, to connect theelectric current to the timing device for the controlling of theswitches and fourth, to unlock and release the flying torpedoes to slideout of said aeroplane.

Seventh, to have the dial of the timing device in a straight form so tomove with the greatest quickness the'switches to the correct position.

Eighth, to have the timing device in an inoperative condition tilltheelectric circuits are closed to said timing device by the pulling of thecontrolling lever, arranged for the safety of the operator.

Ninth, to have sliding and locking means arranged for the torpedoes inthe aeroplane, to be unlocked by the controlling lever to slide thetorpedoes out of the aeroplane.

Tenth, to have the positions for the aeroplane torpedoes with its wingsclose together, 50 one above the other and means to prevent j theinterference of the propellers of said torpedoes with others to preventtopheaviness of the aeroplane.

The co-operation of the several parts throughout a complete cycle ofmovement involve for usmg this device ofa flying torpedo is-described intwo complete pages, page 14 and page 15 in my pending application for asignal clock, Serial No. 464,949, filed April 27, 1921.

This application is related to my Patent No. 1,384,528 for aphotographic exposure clock, and to my applications for signal clocks,Serial No. 464,949 filed April 27, 1921, Serial No. 499,066 filed Sept.7, 1921, Serial No. 756,262 filed Dec. 16, 1924. v1 attain these objectsby the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig.I is a plan view of a half out of a flying torpedo shown from above.

Fig. II is a perspective view of an aeroplane arranged for holdingcentrally a few flying torpedoes one on top of the other.

Fig. III is a side view of a half out of said flying torpedo.

Fig. IV is a view from'below of said flying torpedo. k

Fig. V is a perspective View of a timing device having its dial in astraight form.

Fig. VI is a perspective view of one of the electrical contact membersof the timing device.

Figure VII is a perspective view partially in section of the member ofFigure VI.

Figure VIII is a view in perspective of a travelling contact member.

Fi ure IX .is a view in side elevation showing the vertical alignment ofthe flying torpedoes on the aeroplane.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several planviews.

A hollow member 1 constitutes the frame work of the torpedo its wings 2being secured in a suitable manner to said member. A powerful engine oran electric motor 3 for driving a propeller 4 is secured in said member.A timing device 5 for controlling said torpedo is secured in the rear ofthe device in such a position to extend its dial 6 and its switch 7 outof an opening in said hollow member. A lever 8 for controllinsaidtorpedo is operatively secured to sai timing device and must. extendout of said hollow member in such a manner to be moved by the operator.An explosive 9 and a storage battery 10 is secured in the bottom of saidhollow member in such a manner and position to balance said torpedo inevery direction. A second view of said timing device is shown in Fig. V.Said timing device is provided with a dial 6. A frame 14 is secured inthe hollow member 1 and is arranged to carry the electric contact railsfor the current to and the contact-rails 16 for the return current fromsaid switches in a straight direction in a hard rubber plate. Said dialis secured with a frame 17 in such a position to the frame 14 to allowmov ng of the switch carrying members 18 between said frames. Theswitches 7 which'control the device are made from hard rubber, separateviews of said switches are shown in Figs. VI, VII and VIII. Saidswitches consisting of a member 19 which is carrying the contacts 20 and21; a second member 22 1s arranged for moving in said first named memberto different positions. Said members carry the contacts 23 and 24. .Asprlng button 25 secures said second member in said first named memberto various selective positi ons. The switches 7 are slidably arranged onthe top and on the bottom of the frame, 17, arranged for moving saidswitches in a straight direction to any part on the dial 6 to be securedwith a spring button 26- in the grooves '27 which are arranged on theframe 17. Two contacts 28 are secured in,

the switch carrying member 18 in such a position to press on to be inconnection' I each one with one of the contact rails 15 wherever saidswitches are moved. Two contacts 29 in said member are connected in thesame manner to'the contact rails 16. An electric current conduit 27*- isarranged between the upper contact 28 and the contact 20 in the switchmember 19, a second conduit 27 between the lower contact 28 and thecontact 21 in said switch member, a third conduit 27 between the uppercontact 29 and the contact 23 in the movableswitch member 22 and afourth conduit 27 .between the lower contact 29 and the contact 24 insaid switch member," thereby connecting the cir; cuit for the current toand the return current from said switches with the contact rails 15 and16.

Bridging contacts 31 and 32 (separate view is shown in Fig. VIII) arearranged to control said switches. Said bridging contacts are carried byan arm 33 which is operatively connected to a timing device 34.

Springs 36 arranged between said arm and said bridging contacts to givewith said con.- tacts good circuit connections to the switch contacts20, 21,23 and 24. A gear rail 37 for carrying said arm is slidablyarranged in brackets 38 which are removably secured to the frame 17,arranged for resetting said gear rail to a fixed position. Said gearrail is meshed to a gear wheel 39 which is secured wheels connects saidmotor to the main shaft 41 of the timing device. Said main shaft is intwo parts, part 41 and part 41 A clutch 42 is secured to the shaft 41and is meshed to a clutch 43 which is slidably arranged on the shaft41*. A rail 44 is secured to said shaft and is fitted in a correspondingopening in the clutch 43. A controlling lever 8 is secured in such amanner to the clutch 43 to move said clutch members together by themovement of said lever to connect or to disconnect the driving mechanismfrom the electric switch device by the moving of said lever.

The electric current conduits to operate the flying torpedoes with thetiming device are shown in Fig. I to operate a motor for the driving ofthe clock mechanism.

Two contacts 51 and 53 are carried by the controlling lever '8. Separateelectric conduits and 52 are provided between one each of said contactswith one each of the poles of the storage battery 10. Two contacts 54and 55 are secured in the member 3 and positioned in such a manner topress on and be in contact with each one with one of the contacts 51 and53 by the pulling of the lever 8. Two conduits 56 and 57 are arranged toclose the circuits, each one sepaand 59'between said contacts and themotor 40 to control the driving mechanism, and two conduits 60 and 61between said contacts and the motor 3 for driving the propeller 4.

If an engine is used then the propeller 4 must be started by hand, orsaid last named conduits must be secured to a small motor which isarranged to control a self starter for said propeller. To explode theexplosive 9 a conduit 62 is arranged to close the circuit between one ofthe contact rails 16 and any suitable electricdevice- 62 which issuitable,to explode said explosive, and a conduit 62 to close thecircuit between the sec- 0nd one ofsaid contact rails and to saiddevice.

To explode said explosive without any electric device it is necessary toconnect the conduit 62 and 62 in a explode the explosive,

An aeroplane a view of which is shown in Fig. II is arranged forcarrying a few powder charge to of said flying torpedoes to a highaltitude.

Compartments 62 are provided one above the other in the center of theaeroplane, each one for holding one .of said torpedoes with 'its wing 2.Rails 63 are arranged in each one of said compartments. -Said rails mustfit in grooves 64 which are provided on the bottom of each one of saidtorpedoes. A separate view of said bottom is shown in Fig. IV. Twolevers 65' are ar'rangedmovably and crossways with a pin 66 to thehollow member 1. in such a position that the ends of each one of saidlevers must fit in openings 67 which are arranged in the rails 63 in'thecompartments 62. A member 68 is slidably arranged in suitable bracketswhich are secured to the bottom of the "hollow member 1. Said membersmust be in such a position to press against both of the levers 65, tohold the ends of said levers secure in the openings 67. Said member isoperatively connected to controlling lever 8 in such a way to releasethe levers 65 by the aeroplane by the pulling of the controlling lever8.

A second means to explode the explosive 9 is arranged in the front ofsaid explosive. A projectile 71 is secured in such a manner in the headof said explosive to explode said explosive when it strikes.

Special positions are provided in the aeroplane for the flyingtorpedoes; a view of said positions are shown in Fig. IX. The first oneof said torpedoes must be secured in one of the compartments 62, thesecond torpedo in the compartment next to said first topedo and in sucha position to extend the propeller in front of the propeller of saidfirst named torpedo, and the third one must extend. in the same'manner,to make each one of the compartments as low as pomible to preventtopheaviness of the aeroplane.

'Now I show the cooperation of the several parts throughout a completecycle of movements involved for the controlling of the flying torpedoeswith the timing device to ex- .plode at a predestinated time an exlosive and means for carrying said :torpe oes to a high altitude. .Thetorpedoes are inserted in the compartments 62 in the aeroplane in themanner shown and secured with the levers on the rails 63. When theaeroplane is lifted to a high altitude it is ready to send the torpedoesunder its own power, one after the other, against any enemy engine ofwar, which is in the air, on the land or in the sea, then direct theaeroplane at full speed in a straight direction against said enemyengine. Set the switch 7 with the spring button 26 in the grooves 27 ata predestinated time position, pull the controlling lever 8, therebyconnecting first,

the current by the contacts 51 and .53, 54 and 55 to the timing device;second, to the electric motor or powerful engine 3 are ranged for thedrivin of the propeller 4; third, connecting the c utch members 42 and43 to connect the driving mechanism 34 to the electric switch device,and fourth, moving the member 68 thereby releasing the levers 65 fromthe opening 67 in the rails 63 which are provided in the aeroplane. Theflying torpedo released and driving under its own powerful engine 3slides and flies like an arrow out of the aeroplane which is now run atreduced speed. The torpedo travels for the distance required, the bridging contacts 31 and 32 moving to the switches 7 to the predeterminedtime set, to close the circuit current li' and49 on said switches toexplode the explosive 9 with the timing device. If the flying torpedostrikes before said predestinated time 'to solid surface, the saidexplosive is exploded with a projectile 71.

. What I claim as my invention to be secured by Letters Patent is Inflying torpedoes having in combination, an aeroplane carrier arrangedfor carrying said torpedoes, a device arranged for sliding and forlocking said torpedoes in said aeroplane carrier, wings arranged forflying said torpedoes, a propeller mounted to propel said torpedoes, anengine arranged to drive said propeller, a selfstarter provided to startsaid engine, an explosive charge arrangedin said torpedoes, a source ofelectric power, a timing device for exploding said explosive at apredetermined time; said timing device consisting of a motor for a speeddriving mechanism for rotating a shaft, an arm carrying two bridgingcontacts arranged for moving in a straight line by'said shaft, 2.slidable contact member in the path of said arm, said member havingcontactelements for contacting the bridging contacts on the arm, aclutch inter osed between said driving mechanism an said shaft,a'manually operated lever for engaging said. clutch, a member interposedin said lockin device arranged on said lever to hold sai torpedoessecure in said rails, two contact elements mounted on said lever, twoline closed circuits to said contact elementsincluding the source ofpower, a second pair of contact elements arranged in such a positiontopress on said last named elementsby the pulling of said lever,electrical connections from said second named contact elements to-saidselfstarter, to said speed driving mechanism, to said timing device andfrom'said timing device to the explosive charge; the selfstarter for theengine, the timing device, the engaging of said clutch and the releasingof said torpedo from said carrier being started in operation by themovement of said lever. Signed at New York city, in the county of NewYork and State of New York this 22 day of June A. D. 1926.

. CHARLES KESSES.

